Study: College Students Use Mobile Apps While Driving

A recent study — albeit a small one — by a student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that one-third of her fellow students use smartphone applications while driving.

The small set of 93 UAB students isn’t enough of a sample to make firm conclusions, but 10% said they use mobile apps “often,” “almost always” or “always while driving.” More than a third said they use apps “sometimes.” There was no mention of texting being listed separately; however, the study pointed to the need to ban all mobile apps while driving, not just text-message users.

Thirty-three states ban texting while driving, but no state bans mobile apps as a whole, likely because mobile apps can be passive, like Pandora, and don’t require hands-on use while driving.